Our 16-year-old Southern sea otter, Clara, had a fractured tooth that was discovered during her recent wellness exam. The affected tooth was one that Clara uses to crunch through the … Continued

Sumatran tiger Bintang recently underwent a routine wellness exam at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s healthcare clinic. While under anesthesia, the veterinary team performed a full physical assessment, including X-rays, … Continued

Sumatran tiger Mawar recently underwent a routine wellness exam at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s healthcare clinic. Under anesthesia, the veterinary team completed a thorough physical assessment including X-rays, an … Continued

With his bright colors, signature rounded “hump,” and confident personality, Humphrey the humphead wrasse is hard to miss as he glides alongside sharks in the Tropical Reef Aquarium’s Outer Reef … Continued

A filefish from the Tropical Reef Aquarium recently traveled offsite with the zoo’s veterinary team for a lensectomy, a delicate surgery to remove the lens from its left eye. While … Continued

A rescued young river otter is now swimming free in the wild, thanks to the collaborative efforts of federal wildlife officials, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium veterinarians, and a dedicated … Continued

 For years, Gonzo the Southern tamandua has delighted audiences at the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater with his calm demeanor, sweet personality, and unforgettable talent: slurping up delicious treats with … Continued

Earlier this month, a young river otter in southwest Washington received a second chance at life thanks to the quick response of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) staff, expert … Continued

For weeks, Lakina the walrus had kept her right eye tightly shut. Despite pain medications, the 9-year-old Pacific walrus at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium refused to open it, leaving … Continued

Azizi, Xena, and Zuri—Point Defiance Zoo’s trio of East African savannah pouched rats—recently had their routine wellness exams at the zoo’s healthcare clinic.  Under gentle anesthesia, the veterinary team performed … Continued

Our new muskox, Pretzel, underwent her first wellness exam at the Zoo today with head veterinarian Dr. Karen Wolf, associate veterinarian Dr. Kadie Anderson, and team. The one-year-old muskox had … Continued

SVEN UPDATE: JAN. 10 Our beloved Sven, the young Arctic fox who recently sustained a serious injury to his left knee, continues to show encouraging progress! Sven tore all the … Continued

Beep. Beep. Beep. The heart monitor and other monitoring devices hum as veterinary professionals work in rhythm caring for their VIPs — very important patients, that is. On the exam … Continued

We said goodbye to Periwinkle, our beloved 6-month-old Magellanic penguin chick, on Dec. 2, 2024. Read the blog story. Periwinkle, a young Magellanic penguin, made his debut today at the … Continued

Five organizations from around the United States have come together to provide care to an orphaned Pacific walrus calf receiving rehabilitative care at the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) in Seward, … Continued

Our five critically endangered American Red Wolf pups met the vet team last week for a pup exam at our offsite facility in Eatonville, where the largest Red Wolf population … Continued

Does the spring pollen have you in a sneezing fit? Does stepping outside make your eyes water? It turns out humans aren’t the only ones with allergies. Animals, too—even goats—get … Continued

Polar bear twins Astra and Laerke, both 3-years-old, received wellness exams in March (on different days). The exams were the first time the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium veterinarians and … Continued

Moea, the 14-year-old sea otter, recently received her routine wellness exam. While under anesthesia, the rescued sea otter was weighed, x-rayed, and given a full dental exam and cleaning. Veterinarian … Continued

Point Defiance Zoo’s 12-year-old resident male tiger, Sanjiv, recently had a dentist appointment to fix a fractured tooth. Dr. Alice Sievers, a board-certified veterinary dentist and one of only 250 … Continued

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium earned kudos and another five years of accreditation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) in September. The Tacoma zoo also won a significant … Continued

Astra and Laerke, two polar bear cubs who have captivated much of the country since their births two years ago at the Detroit Zoo, arrived at Point Defiance Zoo & … Continued

Nearly 800 observers took part in this year’s City Nature Challenge spanning King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties, including Everett, Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Snohomish and any place in between. From April … Continued

The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) and the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, announced today that two polar bear cubs, Astra and Laerke, will move to Point Defiance Zoo in spring … Continued

If Dr. Karen Wolf needs another skilled set of hands for a tiger procedure, she knows who to call. And if Dr. Allison Case has a beaver or owl that … Continued

Collaborations with our community are an incredible opportunity to create meaningful connections. Tacoma students at Science and Math Institute (SAMi), School of the Arts (SOTA), and School of Industrial Design, … Continued

Each year Tacoma students from the Science and Math Institute (SAMI) participate in a day of service with Point Defiance Zoo. In previous years, students have helped shovel sand in … Continued

Volunteers are an essential part of our community at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, donating their valuable time, passion and expertise to the Zoo. In honor of National Volunteer Week, … Continued

Written by Veterinarian Dr. Kadie Anderson Nutmeg, our 16-year-old female beaver and mother to Butternut, recently visited the Zoo vet for her annual physical exam. During the exam, Associate Veterinarian … Continued

Clouded leopard Orchid recently received her routine wellness exam, which included x-rays, an ultrasound, dental cleaning, vaccination boosters and blood and urine collection for testing. Orchid lives with her brother, … Continued